Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-08-10
OHIO TROOPERS.

While on the march with Kilpatrick's
(Third) Division through the Cardinals
said John T. Frederick, Co., c., 10th
Ohio Cavalry, we rested day or two
near Fayetteville, and as forage was
scarce detail was sent out from our
company,Eof the 10th Ohio Cav, to
''raise" provisions for the company.
Our party consisted of eight kids, all
told, commanded by Serg't Jacob Ba-
ker. We started ,,on our expedition
about o'clock a. m. After travelling
four or five miles we came to large
field which lay on high, rolling plain
overlooking a stream, on which stood
Touring mill. The mill was being
run by some Yanks, who had captured
lot of wheat, which they were grind
Ing. The stream was bordered with
heavy growth of timber, which shut
out the view of the country beyond to
which we were going. After crossing
the stream and going about a quarter
Of mile we again came to an open
country, where the road made an angle
to the north.
We travelled about five miles farther,
when we came to plantation. We
found about half a barrel of -four.
O bushel of cornmeal, butt of
tobacco, some bacon, hams and should
ers. I proceeded to an old log hut near
by, which was inhabited by lady and
three small children. They were in
hard luck; they seemed to have scarce
ly anything to eat. I found four gal
Ions of candied honey, which I coveted
very much; but we did not have the
courage to deprive her and her chill
dren of any of the necessaries of life.
told her l would give her IS in green
backs for the honey. She told me
that she did not want my money, as
she could not use it. I told her I
wanted the honey, and accordingly
went down in my pocket and gave her
roll of bills, amounting to over ST.
500 in Confederate money, and would
have paid more if she asked it. I took
the honey and returned to my com
rades.
The next question was how to trans
port all our forage to camp. We soon
found a way to do this. We found
yoke of oxen and a cart and
negro driver. We accordingly loaded
our provisions on the cart, mounted the
negro on the load to drive, and started
for camp, it being about 3 o'clock in the
afternoon.
We proceeded along finely. The
road for several miles was bordered by
heavy timber on our left, while planta-.
lion after plantation lay on our right.
watched the negro driver sitting upon
his perch drivingthe oxen so gentle and
nice. A longing desire to drive oxen
took possession of me, which desire I
felt unable to resist. I took the long
gad-whip from the negro, telling him
at tho same time that 1 was an old OK
driver. Erode up by the side of the off
OK and commenced to larrup the
animals gently to increase their speed,
which Immediately accomplished, for
they started to run. !, being mounted,
kept by their side for some time trying
my best to stop them. I yelled.
''Whoa, Buck! whoa Berry!'' but they
would not "whoa," but left the road,
going into the timber, believing at
every jump, the negro clinging on for
dear life. One wheel of the cart
suddenly struck a stump about two
feet high, throwing the oxen, turning
the cart and contents upside, down.
The darkey lit about Is feet from the
cart. We gathered up our things as
best we could. We had an old dress
skirt tied over the barrel in which we
had OH flour; consequently we did, not
loose much of that. and as luck would
have it our jars of honey were all right.
After loading up our negro was duly
installed as driver for the rest of the
journey.
When within mile of the mill before
mentioned, which stood near an angle
in the road, I Intimatcd that there
would be considerable -four on hand at
the mill, and that it would DO an easy
thing to stampede the boys from there
if we would work it right. We accord
ingly divided in two parties. The first
shots were fired by our comrades up the